Dovğa is one of the staples of Azerbaijani home cooking, a pale green soup of yogurt and herbs that tastes the way a spring meadow would if it had been raised properly. Plain yogurt is thinned with water, thickened with a little rice and flour, and simmered with chopped cilantro, dill, mint and spinach until it is creamy and fragrant. At weddings it is brought out between the meat courses, on the sound principle that something cool and sour helps the guests make room for what comes next.

It is also one of the few soups that is just as good cold as hot. In winter it is served steaming; in summer it comes straight from the fridge, almost like a drink with a spoon. The only real skill is patience: yogurt splits if it is rushed to the boil, so dovğa is stirred, constantly and calmly, until it comes up to temperature.

The soup

Ingredients

• 3 cups (720 g) plain whole milk yogurt
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon (8 g) all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (50 g) short grain rice
• 4 cups (950 ml) cold water
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 large bunch (about 1 1/2 cups / 40 g chopped) fresh cilantro
• 1 large bunch (about 1 1/2 cups / 40 g chopped) fresh dill
• 1/3 cup (10 g) fresh mint leaves
• 2 cups (60 g) fresh spinach
• 3 green onions
• 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) chickpeas

Method

1. Put the yogurt, egg and flour in the cold saucepan, off the heat, and whisk until completely smooth. Add the rinsed rice and salt, then pour in the cold water a little at a time, whisking all the while so the yogurt loosens evenly.
2. Set the pan over medium heat and start stirring with the wooden spoon, scraping across the bottom. Keep stirring steadily, without stopping, for 10 to 15 minutes until the soup comes to a gentle boil. Some cooks swear by stirring in one direction only; what matters is that you never stop.
3. Turn the heat down to low so the soup simmers gently. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until the rice is tender.
4. Stir in the cilantro, dill, mint, spinach and green onions. They will look like far too much, but they wilt quickly. Simmer for 5 minutes more, stirring often.
5. Add the chickpeas and simmer for 2 minutes to warm them through. Taste and add more salt if needed. Take the pan off the heat.

To serve

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• a few sprigs of dill

Method

1. For a warm soup, rest it off the heat for 5 minutes, then ladle into bowls and finish each one with a pinch of dried mint and a small sprig of dill.
2. For a summer soup, let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Stir well and loosen with a few tablespoons of cold water if it has thickened too much, then finish as above.

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